Electrical firing mechanism

ABSTRACT

Electrical firing mechanism for a light weight, portable, rocket launcher. The mechanism includes means for actuating a battery for supplying an electrical pulse to the rocket carried in the launcher for ignition of the rocket motor.

United States Patent [191 Vickers et a1.

[54] ELECTRICAL FIRING MECHANISM [75] Inventors: Wiley B. Vickers, Huntsville; Lonnie L. Looger, Madison, both of Ala.

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed? Aug. 29, 1972 [21,] App]. No.: 284,533

[52] US. Cl 89/].814, 42/84, 89/28 A,

g 7 136/90 511 Int. Cl. F41f 3/04 [58] Field of Search. 89/135, 28, 1.807; 42/84, 1 A; 102/70, 70.2; 136/90 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,679,487 7/1972 Coyle 136/90 1 Jan. 22, 1974 3,208,181 9/1965 Calhoun et a1. 42/84 2,134,406 10/1938 Jacobs 42/1 A 2,496,316 2/1950 Skinner et a 89/1807 Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward J. Kelly; Herbert Berl; Harold W. Hilton 57 ABSTRACT Electrical firing mechanism for a light weight, portable, rocket launcher. The mechanism includes means for actuating a battery for supplying an electrical pulse to the rocket carried in the launcher for ignition of the rocket motor.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures ELECTRICAL FIRING MECHANISM BACKGRGUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years there has been developed folding fin stabilized rockets which can be fired by one man from a light weight portable launcher. The rockets normally have a high explosive warhead and are extremely useful against tanks and vehicles. Since the launcher must be portable, weight is a prime consideration insuch launcher design. Additionally, the launcher must have I a relatively long shelf life.

The rocket launcher essentially comprises a long thin walled open end tube or barrel which is proportionedto receive a rocket. The launcher may be mantransportable and capable of being fired from an ind- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The. rocket launcher of the present invention meets all ofthe above noted requirements. The firing mechanism is designed to be only a fraction of the weight of the overall system, including the rocket and launcher. Thefiring mechanism s safety mechanism which when removed permits firing of the rocket upon actuating a trigger which is provided for releasing a spring loaded striker arm for impact with a percussion ignited thermalt battery. The battery provides the electricity needed to. ignite the motor of the rocket.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a light weight mechanism for actuating a source of electrical power.

It is a further object of 'the present invention to provide an electrical firing mechanism for actuating a battery for supplying an electrical signal which ignites the motor, of a rocket carried in a light weight portable rocket launcher.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following descriptions and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the rocket launcher of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is a partialsectional view of the firing mechanism as seen in FIG. 2,illustrating a micro switch as used in the mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG; .5 is a view taken from FIG. 4, with elements removed to show said micro switch arrangrnent.

FIG. .6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Asshown in FIG. 1, a rocket launcher 10 is carried by an individual for directing a rocket, carried in the launcher, to a target. The launcher includes open ends 12 and 14. In FIG. 1, the launcher is provided with a harness 16 to aid the individual in supporting the launcher. However, it is to be understood, that the launcher may be supported in many other ways such as on a bipod, tripod or platform, etc.

A trigger and firing assembly 18 is mounted on the side of the launcher for igniting the rocket in the launch tube. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, firing mechanism 18 includes a housing 20 enclosing a striker detent 22, a striker 24, a trigger sear 26 and a thermal battery 28. Striker detent 22 includes a pair of spaced side portions 36-(FIGS. 4 and 6) secured by a pin 32 to supports 30 and 34 formed in housing 20. This arrangement serves to pivotally mount detent 22.

Pin 32 also serves to mount a spring 38 to bias detent 22 for movement and has a kerf 40, in the end accessable from the outside of housing 20 for a purpose as set forth in the operation. A channel member 42 is also secured to detent 22 for engagement with striker 24.

Striker 24 is pivotally secured to a support member 44 carried in the housing. A pin 45 extends through the striker and is carried in support member 44 for pivotal support of the striker. Pin 45 is also provided with a kerf 46 (for a purpose as set forth in the operation) and is accessable from the outside of housing 20. A spring 47 is disposed for biasing the striker for upward movement thereof.

Trigger sear 26 is privotally mounted in the upper portion 50 of the housing. A pin 52 is secured to the housing and is disposed for pivotal support of sear 26 thereon. A spring 54 includes one end 56 which abuts against an inner surface of housing 20 and a second end 58 secured to sear 26. Spring 54 is disposed for biasing sear 26 upwardly as shown in FIG. 4. Sear 26 further includes a first extended portion 60, a second extended portion 62 and a third extended portion 64.

A push button 66 (FIG. 4) is mounted in an aperture 68 disposed in a raised portion 70 of housing 20 and a protective cap 72 encloses the outer portion of push button 66.

A safety mechanism 74 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is slidably disposed on housing 20 and includes a spring 76 carried in a slot 78 of actuating member 80. Member 80 includes an element 82 which extends into housing 20 for engagement with portion 60 of scar 26.

A micro switch 84 (FIG. 5) is carried in housing 20 adjacent to sear 26. As more clearly shown in FIG. 3, switch 84 is secured to a bracket 86 which is secured to housing 20.

The firing mechanism is secured in the cocked position, as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 4, prior to assembly of the firing mechanism to the launch tube. This is done by reaching in an open side 88 and engaging striker 24 with channel member 42 on detent 22 for retention of striker 24 in the position shown by the solid lines. I-Iook formed on the end of detent 22, opposite portion 36, is disposed for engagement with extending portion 64 of scar 26 by a camming action between the detent and sear. After hook 85 and portion 64 are engaged, safety mechanism 74 is positioned so that spring 76 rests in a first slot 90 disposed in housing 20. This places the element 82 of safety mech anism 74 in engaged relation with the underside of extending portion ,60 of sear 26 to retain the mechanism in cocked relation. The firing mechanism is then assembled to the launch tube.

When element 82 engages portion 60 it als operates micro switch 84 (FIG. 5) by engagement with a spring 87. Switch 84 serves as a further safety precaution during pre-use time of the mechanism since it includes a normally open, a normally closed and a common tenninal which enables a short to be maintained in the firing circuit during pre-use to prevent stray electromagnetic energy from accidentally igniting the rocket. Switch 84 also serves to complete a circuit when precussion element 96 on battery 28 is energized, between electrical leads 98 and the rocket igniter (not shown).

OPERATION In operation, the safety mechanism is moved back, so that spring 76 rests in a second groove 94 in housing 20. Movement of actuating member 80 also depresses button 95 on micro switch 84 to place the firing circuit in position for the firing. Cap 72 is removed and trigger 66 depressed to clear portion 64 of sear 26 from hook 85 of detent 22. Spring 38 then pivots detent 22 downward for disengagement of raised portions 42 from striker 24. Striker 24 is pivoted upwardly by spring 47 for impact with a precussion element 96 on thermal battery 28. The battery is energized and at a predetermined energy level, sends an electrical pulse through leads 98 to switch 84 and to the igniter in the rocket motor (not shown) for firing the rocket.

If the primer fails to fire, the mechanism can be recocked with a blade type tool, if desired. This may be accomplished by providing access plates on housing for access to screw slots 40 and 46 of pins 32 and 45 respectively, or, if desired, the pins may be long enough to extend through the sides of housing 20 and sealed at the point where they extend through the housing.

We claim:

1. An electric fire control mechanism for a portable rocket launcher comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a thermal battery carried in said housing;

c. percussion means carried by said battery;

d. striker means disposed for impact with said percussion means for energizing said battery and generating an electric signal to cause ignition of a rocket carried in said launcher;

e. actuating means disposed for effecting displacement of said striker means for impact thereof with said percussion means, said actuating means comprising; striker detent means pivotally secured in said housing and having a channel member secured thereon for releasable engagement with said striker member, said striker detent means further including a hook portion at the distal end thereof; a trigger sear pivotally secured in said housing and having a hook portion disposed in engaged relation with said hook portion of said striker detent means whereby said striker detent means is in biased engagement with said trigger sear for engaged relationof said channel member with said striker member for retention thereof in cocked position; trigger means disposed for release of said hook portions of said trigger sear and said striker detent means and subsequent release of said channel member from said striker means for impact thereof with said percussion means; and,

f. means for re-cocking said striker member and said striker detent should a misfire occur.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including safety means to prevent misfiring of said apparatus.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said safety means includes a micro switch for shorting the firing circuit of said apparatus during non-use thereof to prevent stray electromagnetic energy from accidentally firing said apparatus.

' 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said safety means further includes a member disposed for holding said trigger sear in a cocked position during non-use of said apparatus, said member disposed for displacement for release of said sear and removing said short from said micro switch. 

1. An electric fire control mechanism for a portable rocket launcher comprising: a. a housing; b. a thermal battery carried in said housing; c. percussion means carried by said battery; d. striker means disposed for impact with said percussion means for energizing said battery and generating an electric signal to cause ignition of a rocket carried in said launcher; e. actuating means disposed for effecting displacement of said striker means for impact thereof with said percussion means, said actuating means comprising; striker detent means pivotally secured in said housing and having a channel member secured thereon for releasable engagement with said striker member, said striker detent means further including a hook portion at the distal end thereof; a trigger sear pivotally secured in said housing and having a hook portion disposed in engaged relation with said hook portion of said striker detent means whereby said striker detent means is in biased engagement with said trigger sear for engaged relation of said channel member with said striker member for retention thereof in cocked position; trigger means disposed for release of said hook portions of said trigger sear and said striker detent means and subsequent release of said channel member from said striker means for impact thereof with said percussion means; and, f. means for re-cocking said striker member and said striker detent should a misfire occur.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including safety means to prevent misfiring of said apparatus.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said safety means includes a micro switch for shorting the firing circuit of said apparatus during non-use thereof to prevent stray electromagnetic energy from accidentally firing said apparatus.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said safety means further includes a member disposed for holding said trigger sear in a cocked position during non-use of said apparatus, said member disposed for displacement for release of said sear and removing said short from said micro switch. 